OK, just got my statement for one of my 401K's.
I was down -5.71% from last quarter.

I have:
14% in short term investments
14% in bond funds
13% in balanced funds
59% in stock funds and
0% in self-directed account.

Any advice on how/where to move this around? Or is this just one of those "hang on & see" type deals?

Where's Hermes when you need him?

'58 I don't have any good answers for you.

Just like a person can't get out of debt by borrowing money, people that lose money in the stock market can't make it up on volume.

My half-timer almost seasoned citizen advice would be to stop losing money.

Buying mutual funds is like going to Wal-mart and buying one of each item in the store and playing individual stocks like a day trader at a flea market swap meet is high risk.

What's the magic answer?

Simple.

Become more concerned with the return OF your money than the return on your money and you'll never be disappointed.

I can hear the swap meet day traders now....."Yeah, but you won't even keep up with inflation with 5% a year!"

Really?

How well does a MINUS (-5.71%) keep up with inflation?

Hmmmmmmm?

Just so you understand the math..... a -5.71% loss in one year will require a 16.93% gain the following year just to keep even with a SAFE investment that's just limping along at 5% per year.

By the way.....where have you been?

Trolling the board creating multiple screen names and postings???

__________________
Gary Spicuzza, *SAFE
Copyright 1956
No Rights Reserved
*Self Appointed Financial Expert

HA!
If I had time to be trolling, I'd be taking a course on finance and investments... I am so lame at this that I did not even notice that all my funds are mutual funds... duh.
BTW, where is Hermes? I expected he or Minion to answer...

Since you ask, I am working on my LPC (counseling license) which includes a brutal exam and 3000 hours of supervision... it takes a lot of time...

So, since you have no good answers, I'll even accept a bad one.
Should I move this to an IRA? Can I? What do I do, what do I do?

I have been a member of USAA (insurance) for 26 years; they always send me iinvestment info but it is like Swahili to me. They do offer free financial advice, perhaps I should consult them?

I am finally recovering from the credit card debt that brought me to this forum in the first place, and now I need to figure out what to do with my "money on paper".

As always, appreciate your advice and enjoy your soapboxes.

Yeah, I haven't had a good soap box rant in a while....


Regarding your IRA you may want to check out some of the new bonus IRA Indexed Annuities that are on the market. Just understand that a 10% premium bonus has strings attached to it. It's imperative that you understand those strings to avoid getting yourself tied in a knot.


Yes, you can rollover your 401k to any type of Traditional IRA.

__________________
Gary Spicuzza, *SAFE
Copyright 1956
No Rights Reserved
*Self Appointed Financial Expert